Wednesday, February 02, 2005
JP II and JC
You can check on the Pope's health/schedule here.
OK, so the "JC" I'm talking about is Johnny Carson, not Jesus. It occurred to me this evening, when I saw a report on the health of Pope John Paul II, that the press corps were not hanging out around outside Johnny Carson's home, waiting for him to die so they would have a story. The press didn't hang around Ronald Reagan's place, either, to the extend they are following John Paul II at the hospital. Why are they doing this to John Paul II? What must it feel like to know the press hounds are outside your window waiting, probably hoping, for a story that doesn't end well. (Strike that... I have no doubt the story of Pope John Paul II will end well no matter what.) Why must the press act like vultures, circling endlessly.
Well, they circle because there will be a successor and a lot of people both care about John Paul II and about who will be chosen to succeed him. Johnny C. had no successor. Reagan's successor is already long gone from the white house. I think when the Queen of England passes away, the press will act like this. The Queen is dead, long live the King! What must it have been like in days of old when royalty passed away?
And this, in turn, made me think of Christ Crucified. What were the words on his cross? "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" -- but unlike Pope John Paul II and unlike the Queen of England... Jesus had no successor. Peter was the first pope, but Peter was not a successor, was he. The King lives.
Forever and ever, amen.
OK, so the "JC" I'm talking about is Johnny Carson, not Jesus. It occurred to me this evening, when I saw a report on the health of Pope John Paul II, that the press corps were not hanging out around outside Johnny Carson's home, waiting for him to die so they would have a story. The press didn't hang around Ronald Reagan's place, either, to the extend they are following John Paul II at the hospital. Why are they doing this to John Paul II? What must it feel like to know the press hounds are outside your window waiting, probably hoping, for a story that doesn't end well. (Strike that... I have no doubt the story of Pope John Paul II will end well no matter what.) Why must the press act like vultures, circling endlessly.
Well, they circle because there will be a successor and a lot of people both care about John Paul II and about who will be chosen to succeed him. Johnny C. had no successor. Reagan's successor is already long gone from the white house. I think when the Queen of England passes away, the press will act like this. The Queen is dead, long live the King! What must it have been like in days of old when royalty passed away?
And this, in turn, made me think of Christ Crucified. What were the words on his cross? "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" -- but unlike Pope John Paul II and unlike the Queen of England... Jesus had no successor. Peter was the first pope, but Peter was not a successor, was he. The King lives.
Forever and ever, amen.
